New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-22
ANOTHER TELEPHONE CLAIMANT
AN AGED ITALIAN TURNS UP IN CHICAGO WITH
PATENT PAPERS ANTEDATING BELL.

~ .crn ,r.yr.r rrPys UP IN CHICAGO WITH
PATENT PAPERS ANTEDATISG BELL
Curc.co jan 2l.-The OF the United States
against the Bell Telephone Company 10 test inc
validity the telephone patent granted 70 PROFESSOR
Bell was made the occasion OF publication here TINS
afternoon as to some Of the points which will be EN-
poyed by the Government counsel to combat Professor
Bells claim to be the inventor OF the telephone Ihe
Erenng Journal In outlining the evidence says: There
city day aged italian Antonio Meucc' VINO
with counsel West In the telephone Interest
which he represents Mr.. Meucci seen by Journal
this afternoon and the details OF his
case which, while limited at, have been published
before. Antonio Meucci Is an aged man with white hair
and q nerveless hand He uses very little English ana
cOnversed during the interview in Italian through an In
terpretiug friend In his possession certified papers
from the Patent Office at Washington ID. G.. and an
abundance OF afdavs and testimony dating from the
year 1862 From the story Of Meucc, 1t appears that
during the year 1S49 he living with his wife In the
city of Cuba He director OF mechanism while ne
superintendent Of the costume department OF the
Tacon Opera House. During his leisure moments and in
the mornings when unengaged he had Experienced
with electricity and electrical implements lie hah a
theory that could be cured by electricity and while
pursuing the investigation Of these ideas he determined
TO try the effect on q friend. wire and battery we're
connected there being complete circuit Each wire
was connected with copper plate, which the itaan
caused put into his mouth. Both men were In
different rooms and the shock TO one caused MIN 10 e&-
claim when he put the copper plate into bis mouth
Meucc at the end of the line had the copper plate
between the teeth and heard the sound the communca
ton being through the medium OF the teeth to the audi
tory He continued to experiment on this discov-
cry In May 1851 he perfected paper cone and con-
versed though very family with across the street.
using in this instrument membraneous diaphragm IKE
those used in later by the Bell Company Meuccl
moved to New-IOrk where strngge between pow
crty and desire to further his invention began IN New
York the AGED inventor took his papers specncat0ns
and models Mr. Grant at that time the vce-preslden
OF the NewYork District telegraph Company anddesred
him to submit them the electrical experts or the com
pany This ME- promised 10 da. hut kept delaying
ii for nearly In the meantime Meucc fearing
TO lose his rights through Thomas d. Steison patent at
torney there, he filed caveat covering the lherrnt
points of his invention OF sound telegraph ana when
caveat granted December 49, 1871 hye years before
that OF Graham Bell"
The Journal then reprints tho description OF Meuccs
invention as filed In the Patent Oco ut Washington 10
ipsur- the protection OF his rights The cayeat Wit
messed by Stanley McAndrew and Frederick Harper.
the specification was an hidnvlt sworn 10
before Joseph Doze staten Island Justice OF the Peace
inventor OF the improvement described his affidavit Is
subscribed and sworn to November %. 1871. The
documentary evidence file In the secret archives
of the Patent Oice Is also published by The JoT"d1'
showing claims of Meucci 10 inventng telegraph
ing by sound recognized by the Commissioner OF rat
ents together with acknowledgment OF improvements
1872 and again in December 1873 ANA mat
claims ebody in great part the patent issued 10
Professor Bell